Oersted, Hans Christian

or'sted, Hans Christian (1777-1851), a professor of physics in the Danish University at Copenhagen. He was noted as a student of magnetism, galvanism, and electricity. His investigations did much to establish the belief that they are but manifestations of the same form of energy. He invented a piece of apparatus designed to show that the magnetic needle, suspended freely, tends to place itself at right angles to the direction of an electric current in its vicinity. It is known to students as Oersted's Apparatus.